Thursday, May 21, 2015

Tolkien Studies 12: an announcement

On behalf of my co-editors, Michael D.C. Drout and Verlyn Flieger, and myself, I wish to announce Volume 12 of the journal Tolkien Studies. All the contents are now in the hands of our publisher, West Virginia University Press, and the volume is scheduled to be published both in physical copy and online on Project MUSE in August or September.

Several important new features or highlights about this issue:

Starting this year, physical copies of Tolkien Studies will be in sturdy softcover rather than hardcover in boards. We regret the necessity for this change; not just cost but the difficulties attendant on the greater physical weight of the hardcover and the logistical challenges of producing it have led to this decision. In particular, the Press anticipates that overseas customers will have less trouble receiving their copies under a softcover regime. Customer price will be set by the Press later.

This change has also provided the impetus and opportunity for a cover re-design. The new design will be striking and we hope you like it, and it's not entirely dissimilar from the old design.

This year, we've acquired an entire phalanx of sturdy Dwarven scholars to compile "The Year's Work in Tolkien Studies," and we expect to continue this practice in the future.

See under "Notes and Documents" for the ultra-rare Tolkien reprint I alluded to last year, and which this year is actually ready to appear.